BAF Student Camp 2011...Part One

Be prepared, you are about to be inundated with camp photos! Don't say I didn't warn you...

This was my third year to go to camp with Bay Area Fellowship's student ministry and my first with the Mister in attendance. It was such a wonderful experience serving along side my husband reaching students for Christ. Over the course of five days my heart was filled up and completely poured out...

I had an amazing small group of senior girls some of which I already have great relationships with and a few who I just met at camp. Leading these ladies was such a privilege and an honor knowing that God trusts me fully with each of their spiritual lives as they spend their last summer at camp.

There were many, many times when I just didn't know what to say but thankfully it didn't matter because the Lord spoke through me and answered my prayers to be His vessel. There were also times when I would share about something I was going through in life or might have already experienced and I wondered why I was even sharing that particular story... it didn't seem to connect. Then God just proves Himself to be so BIG and one of my girls would tell me how much she identified with what I was saying.

It's weeks like the one I just experienced when I know exactly why I have lead the life I have. Times of much joy and many times of unbearable pains... without those moments what would I have to share for His glory? Why would I need a BIG God if I was able to do it all on my own? In my weakness He is constantly made strong so that others may come to know Him!

I feel as though this is what I was put on Earth to do... love on the next generation, share my life and shine the light of Christ on a very dark world. It's difficult to come back to "reality" when in your heart you know there is so much more that needs to be done. I feel as though I could burst with urgency to just reach out to others...my heart aches... and yet I know in Gods ever perfect timing I will be able to reach out in the capacity that I dream...

I close with a heart of thanksgiving that I could even be a small part of His plan, that I was allowed to be an instrument in changing the lives of 9 very special young women...

loves- Cookie Louise

Thanksgiving 2010

So this was my first Thanksgiving where I prepared the meal myself. The Mister and I decided to stay in Corpus this year instead of heading to the Texas Hill Country like we have for the past seven years! Needless to say I was a woman on a mission to prove to myself that I was capable of making a delicious home cooked Thanksgiving meal.

My mission began on Wednesday evening as I was given a half day off at the office...yay! I decided to do all of the dessert baking the night before so Thursday during dinner I wasn't checking on pies. The dessert menu consisted of Apple Pie and Banana Rum Toffee Bread...oh so tasty.









Once my first ever apple pie was ready it was on to the banana bread... sorry I don't have pictures of the banana bread but I have made this a few times before and wasn't as excited :)

After the dessert phase was complete I decided to make the cornbread for the dressing so I had one last step on Thursday morning. Side story: when my Mee Maw made the cornbread for dressing she just "knew" and there was no recipe. I recall there being a HUGE tub full of crumbled cornbread ready to be turned into dressing and thought I needed the same amount. Needless to say SIX batches later the next morning I would find out I only needed about TWO of these...oops!

So as all of this was baking I decided that as a proper wife cooking the Thanksgiving meal I would need a Thanksgiving apron...natch! So I retreated upstairs to my craft room and whipped up this little beauty without a pattern in about half an hour!





Thanksgiving morning was full of cinnamon rolls, turkey bacon, the Macy's Parade and a LOT of cooking! I started with my stuffing and green bean casserole with homemade cream of mushroom soup and finished with roasted veggies and potatoes under the juiciest turkey breast my Mister has ever had with rolls and tea on the side.

I decorated the table with fall leaves and little pumpkins that held notes of what we were thankful for: health, family, friends and a loving God to name a few.













Everything turned out soooo yummy and to hear Ryan say how much he appreciated it was all I needed! I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving with lots of wonderful memories made... It was wonderful to share with you all... now on to Christmas!

Linking up to...




Christina